This mileage sign along southbound Interstate 405/eastbound California 22 provides the distance to the next two exits: Exit 21, Junction California 22/Garden Grove Freeway east and Exit 20, Springdale Avenue and Westminster Drive. The installation of street lights in the median -- which made the shared section of Interstate 405 and California 22 one of the most well-illuminated freeways in Southern California -- partially obscured the mileage sign in the 2009 photo. The lights were added sometime around 2008. Photos taken 04/13/09 and 05/30/04.

Southbound Interstate 405 approaches Exit 21, Junction California 22/Garden Grove Freeway east to Santa Ana. California 22 leads due east through Westminster, Garden Grove, and Santa Ana before ending at Junction California 55 in Orange. Interestingly, the control city is not Orange or Santa Ana considering that they are closer to the end of the freeway. Most of the California 22 freeway is four to six lanes wide. Photos taken 05/30/04 and 09/28/08.

Eastbound California 22 and southbound Interstate 405 split at Exit 21. The four left lanes plus HOV continue south on Interstate 405, while the three right lanes exit onto California 22/Garden Grove Freeway east to Garden Grove, Anaheim, Santa Ana, and Orange. From here, Interstate 405 again turns southeast, parallel to the coastline. At this interchange, Interstate 405 leaves Seal Beach and enters Westminster, barely nicking the southwestern corner of Garden Grove. The Exit 21 guide sign was replaced between 2004 and 2008 to include the exit number. Photos taken 05/30/04 and 09/28/08.

Interstate 405 leaves Seal Beach and enters the city of Westminster ("Where Business Succeeds in the OC"). Westminster had a population of 88,207 as of the 2000 Census and was incorporated on March 27, 1957. According to the City's webpage, this area was originally "founded as a temperance colony by the Presbyterian Reverend, Lemuel P. Webber in 1870 upon his purchase of some 6,000 acres of the Stearns Rancho. ... The town was named for the Westminster Assembly of 1643 which prescribed the basic tenets of the Presbyterian Church." Photo taken 06/17/06.

This roadside sign for Exit 19, Springdale Street/Westminster Avenue is a bit small (especially when seen from the carpool lanes, such as in this photo). The sign was replaced sometime between 2004 and 2009. Photos taken 04/13/09 and 05/30/04.

Use Exit 19 to Westminster. Photo taken 06/17/06.

Southbound Interstate 405/San Diego Freeway reaches Exit 19, Springdale Street and Westminster Avenue to the city of Westminster. An exit number sign was placed overhead between 2004 and 2009. Photos taken 04/13/09, 05/30/04, and 06/17/06.

This view looks at the offramp to Springdale Street west (first ramp) and Westminster Avenue east (second ramp). Photo taken 06/17/06.

This Interstate 405 south reassurance shield is posted after the onramp from Westminster Avenue and Springdale Street. Photo taken 06/17/06.

The next right is Exit 18, and a sign stating "EXIT 18 - NEXT RIGHT" is posted alongside the freeway without any further description. A similar sign is placed prior to Exit 15 along southbound, and a few more are placed along northbound Interstate 405. Photos taken 04/13/09 and 06/17/06.

Golden West Street heads north into Westminster and south into Huntington Beach, while Bolsa Avenue heads west to Westminster Mall and north-south Bolsa Chica Street and east to unincorporated Midway City and Santa Ana, where it becomes First Street. Photos taken 04/13/09 and 05/30/04.

After Exit 18, the following interchange is Exit 16, Junction California 39/Beach Boulevard. At one time, the California 39 corridor was planned for a freeway, but that plan is no longer in the books. Photos taken 04/13/09 and 06/17/06.

To Coastline College, use California 39/Beach Boulevard north. However, in 2004 this roadside sign was different: It used to announce the next exit (Junction California 39/Beach Boulevard) and provide the exit number of Exit 16. Note that the California 39 shield was omitted. Photos taken 04/13/09 and 05/30/04.

The carpool lane opens for entering and exiting traffic. Photo taken 04/13/09.

California 39 begins at California 1/Pacific Coast Highway near Huntington City Beach, then follows Beach Boulevard, a divided highway, north through Westminster, Garden Grove, Stanton, Anaheim, Buena Vista, and La Mirada, before ending at its intersection with California 72/Whittier Boulevard in La Habra just south of the Orange-Los Angeles County Line. Another segment of California 39 exists in Los Angeles County north of West Covina (junction Interstate 10) follows Azusa Avenue and San Gabriel Canyon Road into Angeles National Forest. The gap in the two routes is connected by Los Angeles County Route N-8/Colima Road. The original porcelain enamel sign was replaced by a reflective exit number sign between 2004 and 2009. Photos taken 04/13/09 and 05/30/04.

Around the California 39 interchange, Interstate 405 briefly enters the city of Huntington Beach, then enters Fountain Valley. Photo taken 06/17/06.

The interchange between Interstate 405 and California 39 is a modified cloverleaf, so upon exiting, the first ramp links to California 39 south, and the second ramp loops onto California 39 north. The intent was that this modified cloverleaf interchange would serve as a freeway-to-freeway interchange between the San Diego Freeway and the never-built Beach Freeway. Photo taken 06/17/06.

A pair of 220kV Southern California Edison towers carry wires across Interstate 405; these lines lead to a power generating station near the beach. Photo taken 04/13/09.

The next four exits (two exits are shown on this mileage sign) along southbound are Exit 15B, Magnolia Street/Warner Avenue west; Exit 15A, Warner Avenue east; Exit 14, Brookhurst Street; and Exit 12, Euclid Street/Ellis Avenue. Each of these three exits serve the city of Fountain Valley. Photo taken 05/30/04.

This Interstate 405 south reassurance shield is posted after the onramp from California 39/Beach Boulevard. Photo taken 05/30/04.

The right lane of Interstate 405 south becomes exit only for Exit 15B, Magnolia Street. The reflective sign with exit number was added by 2009. Magnolia Street is a north-south street that heads north to Westminster and Garden Grove and south to Huntington Beach and Fountain Valley. Exit 15B serves Magnolia Street as well as Warner Avenue westbound. Use Warner Avenue west to Huntington Harbor and Bolsa Chica State Beach and Ecological Reserve. Photos taken 04/13/09 and 05/30/04.

One of the most infamous signs in the California Exit Numbering program is the installation of signs such as this one, which only state that Exit 15B is Next Right. The sign does not describe the exit nor provide a street name, which in our opinion compromises the value of the sign. Photo taken 06/17/06.

Southbound Interstate 405/San Diego Freeway reaches Exit 15B, Magnolia Street and Warner Avenue west. At this point, Interstte 405 leaves Westminster and enters the city of Fountain Valley, "A Nice Place to Live and Work" (incorporated June 13, 1957). Photos taken 04/13/09 and 06/17/06.

Another carpool entrance/exit is located just after the Exit 15B offramp. Photo taken 04/13/09.

The next exit along southbound is Exit 15A, Warner Avenue east to Mile Square Regional Park and Santa Ana. Photo taken 05/30/04.

A butterfly sign bridge is used for the exit for Exit 15A, Warner Avenue along southbound. The next exit is Exit 14, Brookhurst Street. Photo taken 05/30/04.

The next exit along southbound Interstate 405 is Exit 14, Brookhurst Street. Photo taken 04/13/09.

Another carpool entrance/exit is located at the point where Exit 14 departs from the freeway. Like the California 39 interchange, this is another modified cloverleaf with a ramp to Brookhurst Street south followed by a loop ramp to Brookhurst Street north. Photo taken 04/13/09.

This tiny roadside sign (posted as Interstate 405 passes under Talbert Avenue) indicates that the Euclid Street interchange (the final interchange along southbound Interstate 405 within the city of Fountain Valley) is Exit 12. Photo taken 05/30/04.

An Interstate 405 south reassurance shield is posted after the onramp from Talbert Avenue. Photo taken 06/17/06.

Use Euclid Street north to Mile Square Regional Park and western Santa Ana. Euclid Street effectively ends at this interchange, and Ellis Avenue continues due west from here through Fountain Valley to Huntington Beach. Follow Main Street southwest to reach California 1/Pacific Coast Highway in downtown Huntington Beach. Photos taken 05/30/04 and 06/17/06.